Exercising-machine



(No Model.)

O. G. MILLER. EXERCISING MACHINE.

Patented Aug II Jll mm, "llmul.

m: mums Farms 00.. mum-mum wnsnm UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

CHARLES G. MILLER, OF I/VATERBURY, CONNECTICUT.

EXERCISING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 481,780, dated August30, 1892.

Application filed April 22, 1892. Serial No. 430,171. (No model.)

\ citizen of the United States, residing at l/Vaterbury, in the countyof Fairfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Exercising-Machines; and I do hereby declare thefollowing to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention,such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains tomake and use the same.

My invention has for its object to produce an exercising-machine whichshall be so compact as to permit of its being readily inclosed in asmallcase, which may be readily attached to or detached from a wall, so as topermit of its being placed at the height of the shoulder or near thefloor, and which may be readily carried about and attached at differentplaces.

It has been a serious objection to exercisin g-machines andchest-weights as heretofore constructed that they were difficult toattach in place, were so unsightly as to be a serious objection in awell-furnished room, and that if the features of a chest-machine and alegmachine were combined the machine was so complicated and required somuch room as to practically prevent its use in families. In

order to obviate all of these objections and to provide a simple,inexpensive, compact, portable, and ornamental machine, I have devisedthe simple and novel construction which I will now describe, referringby numbers to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which Figure l is an elevation of my novel machine inposition on a wall, the case being open and one of the drums shown insection on the line 3/ y in Fig. 2; Fig. 2, a plan view showing thedrums swung out as in use, one of the drums being in section on the line0: 0c in Fig. 1; Fig. 3,a detail view on an enlarged scale, showing theconnection of the spring and the band to the drum; Fig. 4, a section ontheline z z in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a detail view showing the connection ofthe inner end of spring on the shaft, the spring being in section on theline 3 s in Fig. 6; and Fig. 6 is an elevation of the shaft, the firstcoil of the spring being in section.

1 denotes the case, which is provided with a lid 2, hinged at thebottom, as at 3, and

closed at the top by a suitable two-part catch 4. At the back of thebottom of the case at the center is a plate 5, (see dotted lines, Fig.1,) a portion of which extends below the case and is provided with avertical slot 6, and at the top of the back of the case at the center isa plate 7, a portion of which extends above the case and is providedwith a horizontal or slightly-curved slot 8. The case is attached to thewall by means of two screws 9, both of which are of course provided withsuitable heads. In attaching, slot 6 at the lower end of plate 5 isplaced in engagement with the lower screw and the slot in plate 8 inengagement with the upper screw. A latch 10, pivoted to plate 7 andprovided with a slot 11,is then closed down upon the upper screw, theslot in the latch being then likewise in engagement with the screw. Thecase is thus held firmly against movement in any direction, the lowerscrew being turned in just far enough to permit the engagementof plate 5back of the head and the upper screw being turned in just far enough topermit the engagement of plate 7 and the latch back of the head. It willbe seen that to remove the case it is simply necessary to lift thelatch, move the top of the case slightly toward the left, as shown inFig. 1, disengaging it from the upper screw and then lift it slightly,thereby removing it from the lower screw.

Should it be desired to use the machine for exercising the legs, or togive a rowing motion to a person sitting on a stool, or to give anupward chest pull when standing, it is simply necessary to attach themachine in place by screws placed in the base-board.

The entire machine maybe removed at any time leaving only the two screwsin the wall or base-boards.

l/Veights are entirely dispensed with and in lieu thereof I usespring-power, which maybe readily adjusted in the manner which I shallpresently describe. At each end of the case and secured to a cross-piece12, within the case, are pairs of cars 13, between which are pivotedyokes 14. In each yoke is pivoted a drum 15, which turns freely on ashaft 16, journaled in the arms of the yoke.

17 denotes a coil-spring lying within each drum. The inner end of eachspring is pr0- vided with a slot 18, which engages a pin 19 in theshaft, thereby securing said inner end firmly in place. The outer end ofthe spring passes through a slot 20 in the edge of the drum, and is thenprovided with a hook 21, which engages the periphery of the drum at theend of the slot, as clearly shown in Figs. 1 and 4. The inner end ofeach shaft is provided with a squared portion 22, which is adapted toreceive a key for the purpose of winding, said shaft being locked inposition after winding by a latch 28, having a slot adapted to engagethe squared portion of the shaft, as shown in Fig. 2.

24 denotes a steel band, the inner end of which is provided with across-piece 25, by which it is connected to the drum.

In practice the side pieces of the drum (indicated by 15) are providedon their inner sides with recesses 26, and on one side witha slot 27,extending from the outer edgeinward to one of said recesses.

In attaching the band one end of the crosspiece is inserted through slot2Oint0 the closed recess 26, the other end of the band beinginsertedinto the other recess through slot 27, as will be clearly understoodfrom Figs. 3 and 4..

In use the steel band or strip is wound upon the periphery of the drumand at its outer end is provided with a loop 28.

29 is a rubber disk, through the center of which a tube 30 passes. Theends of this tube are notched to receive a holder 31, said holder beingmade of wire and passing through loop 28 at the end of the steel band.

In use the disks serve as stops and engage the tops of the yokes, as inFig. 1, to stop the rotation of the drums when the steel bands have beenwound thereon in thereturn movement.

At the front of the holder is an eye 32, which is engaged by a chain 33,and at the frpnt end of the chainis a snap-hook 34:, with which a handle35 is engaged. The spring having once been adjusted to the requiredtension does not need to be disturbed in use.

When it is desired to close the case, the operator swings the yokes14into the case, as in Fig. 1, and hangs the handles upon hooks 36 inthe back of the case, the position of the handles when hung up beingindicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. When in this position, the lid willclose down upon the drums and handles, thus inclosing all of theoperative parts of the device.

In use the operator unfasteus the lid and lowers it, as in Fig. 1. Hethen swings the yokes and drums out, as in Fig. 2, and uses the machineprecisely as ordinary chestweights are used.

An important advantage of my improved construction is that it alwaysgives to the operator a direct pull from the axis of the drum, the yokesswinging in or out, as may be required, to conform to the movements ofthe operator, so that it is impossible for the bands to run on? from thedrums.

In order to prevent the possibility of the spring rattling within thedrum, I place pads 15 between the side pieces and the spring. These padsmay be made of paper, felt, leather, or any suitable material, and actto render the device perfectly noiseless.

It leg exercise or a rowing movement or an upward chest pull isrequired, the machine is attached to the baseboard, as alreadydescribed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim-- 1. In anexercising-machine, the combination, with the operative parts of themachine, of a portable case within which the operative parts areinclosed and which is provided with slotted plates 5 and 7 and a latch10, by which it is secured to the wall.

2. The combination, with a swinging yoke, a spring-actuated drum pivotedtherein, and a band attached to said drum and coiled thereon, of arubber disk having a tube 30 extending through it, said tube beingslotted at its ends, a holder 31 engaging the band and the slots in thetube, a chain connected to the holder, and a handle connected to thechain.

3. The combination, with a swinging yoke and a spring-actuated drumpivoted therein, said drum having recesses 26 in its side pieces and aslot 27 in one of said side pieces, of a band 24, having a cross-piece25, adapted to engage recesses 26, substantially as described.

4. The combination,Withtheswingingyoke, the shaft, and the drum, ofaspring connected to the shaft and the drum, and pads between saidspring and the side pieces of the drum, whereby rattling is prevented.

In testimony whereof I affix my siguat ure in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES G. MILLER.

Witnesses:

GEo. W. ROBERTS, RALPH P. WEDGE.

